Friday Fives: Essential New Doctor Who (1)
Last month, I gave you a list of what I consider to be five essential Doctor Who stories from the classic series. I intend to add to that list periodically. However, I know there are those who will never be able to get into the classic series. Not that the stories and characters are not good, but the format (low budget, black and white (60s), video tape (70s and 80s), somewhat theatrical-style performances, etc.) is off-putting. For such, the new series is the perfect way to get into Doctor Who. In 2005, the BBC re-booted Doctor Who, presenting it for a modern audience with a much bigger budget, state-of-the-art effects, and with scripts by some of the top script writers in the UK today. Most of the people working on the show are long-time fans of the classic series, so while it is new, there is a deep respect for its history. If this sounds more your cup of tea, but don’t know where to begin, here’s a list of five stories from the last six years to get you started.
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1. Blink (Season 3, Episode 10): Written by current show-runner Steven Moffat, this story ranks among one of the best Who stories ever. Period. It’s up there with the best of the classic series. Scared? You’ll never come out from behind the sofa! And the Doctor is actually not in most of the story. The plot revolves around Sally Sparrow, who finds herself being pursued by Weeping Angels. One look at these stone monsters, and you’ll be transported back in time never to return. How can you fight an enemy you can’t look in the eye? Just don’t blink…
2. The Unquiet Dead (Season 1, Episode 3): Written by Mark Gatiss, this story finds the Doctor and Rose, his traveling companion, in late-19th century Cardiff, where a species of ethereal aliens called the Gelth are stealing the bodies of the dead. Initially the Doctor doesn’t see the problem–they’re just recycling. But is that all the Gelth want? Simon Callow’s performance as Charles Dickens is particularly good.
3. Midnight (Season 4, Episode 10): Written by Russell T. Davies, and featuring one of the cheapest budgets in the new series since it was mostly shot in one location. The Doctor goes on a shuttle tour to the crystalline planet Midnight. On the way, however, the shuttle encounters an entity that starts knocking on the outside of the cruiser, and then somehow manages to take over one of the passengers. We never see what the entity looks like, and it’s never given a name. But its behavior through its captured host is creepy. This is sci-fi meets psychological horror, as the alien slowly turns the passengers against the helpless Doctor.
4. Vincent and the Doctor (Season 5, Episode 10): Written by Richard Curtis (of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill fame). The Doctor and traveling companion Amy visit Vincent Van Gogh in Arles, where they help him battle a monster that only he can see. But there is so much more going on, and our heroes witness first hand the devastating effects of depression. Great performances and a great script. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex handy, though.
5. The Doctor’s Wife (Season 6, Episode 4): Written by Neil Gaiman (yes, that Neil Gaiman–is there another?). The Doctor, Amy, and Rory follow a distress call to rescue what he believes is another Time Lord. But when they land, instead of a Time Lord, they find three strange people, and a malevolent force called House who feeds off of the Artron energy in TARDISes. Since the Doctor is the last Time Lord, instead of feeding off the TARDIS, House takes it over. But the life force of the TARDIS is no longer in the big blue box–it now inhabits a young lady called Idris. With Amy and Rory trapped in the House-controlled TARDIS, the Doctor and Idris need to rescue them and defeat House. Beautifully written, with excitement, humor, and a lot of emotion as, for the first time, the Doctor gets to speak with the true love of his life.
If you follow Doctor Who, do you have a favorite New Series episode? There are so many good stories to choose from, and I will feature some more in another post another time.
Love this! #1 and #4 are at least on my top ten, I think…I am still partial to Tennant’s Doctor, so my two favorites are from his reign–Tooth and Claw, and The Girl In The Fireplace. But maybe Vincent after that? The Sound of Drums and Last of the Timelords have some excellent moments…and the first Captain Jack two-parter…and Eccleston’s Dalek set up the whole relationship really brilliantly. Yikes. Too many good ones.
Thanks, Mrs S! Yes–too many good ones… which is why this is part 1! 🙂 I could have listed all of Steven Moffat’s stories from the first 4 seasons (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and Silence in the LIbrary/Forest of the Dead), but that wouldn’t leave room for other remarkable stories. Sound of Drums and Last of the Timelords certainly had some great moments. John Simm makes an excellent Master. I hope we’ll see him again. 🙂
The Girl in the Fireplace is probably my all time favorite. Followed by Blink , then Vincent and the Doctor.
My husband told me all about Blink and ever since he mentioned it I’ve been wanting to see it (though I’m a bit creeped out by the whole idea). I had no idea that Carey Mulligan was in that episode. I sense some Doctor Who in my future 🙂
In fact, Blink might have been Carey Mulligan’s big break. I think it was after that she was offered movies, etc. Anyway… yes, Blink is scary and creepy, but if you’re going to watch any new series Doctor Who, you have to watch it. And after that, watch The Shakespeare Code (Season 3, Episode 3)–that one didn’t make this list, but it’s a lot of fun. Watch out for the Harry Potter references. 🙂
I’ve just started watching the Classic series. Watched the first two episodes so far and I’m loving it.
I agree with you on Blink, Midnight, and The Unquiet Dead. Those episodes were fantastic, especially Blink. Moffat’s finest writing there – he was always good at writing creepy episodes.
So add Blink to my list as well. My other favourites are Silence in the Library, The Sound of Drums (Fantastic performance by John Simm), and The Doctor Dances – those gas-masked zombies were truly creepy and I did actually like the happy ending for everyone. Normally I’m the type who doesn’t mind death and sad endings but this one was quite touching for the Doctor.
It’s not necessarily a top favourite but I liked The God Complex in series 6 just because the hotel reminded me of the one from The Shining. And I liked the Doctor’s claim that he isn’t someone to worship and not to have so much faith in him. I was starting to get the feeling that the Doctor was moving from eccentric, curious alien to a Godly legend who is feared by his enemies and I wasn’t quite keen on that image. It makes him look like he can do anything. Look how many times poor Rory has died under Matt Smith’s Doctor. I’d be worried for my life if I was his companion!
Wow, long post. Please excuse me, I could rattle on for ages about Doctor Who. It turns me in a total fangirl.
Yay for Doctor Who fangirls! While I was growing up, Doctor Who fangirls were few and far between. Even better that you’ve started watching the classic series too!
Thank you for your thoughts and comments. I think I’m right in saying that right before the show was put on “extended hiatus” in 1989, the script editor (Andrew Cartmel) was looking at taking the Doctor’s character in a more mysterious direction, hinting that he may have once been one of a trio of Time Lord deities. Clearly that didn’t happen… and probably just as well. 🙂
“Are you my mummy?”
The Empty Child. It reminded me of how scary the old series was when I saw it as a very young child.
Then Human Nature/Family of Blood. Absolutely amazing. Heartbreaking.
BRING BACK DAVID TENNANT!!! ;______________;
It’s so hard to pick a favourite, although I have a soft spot for The Doctor’s Wife. My favourite line ever, however is easy. It’s from The Doctor Dances and it’s the one that starts ‘Just this once Rose…’ I’ll leave it there for fear of spoilers. I cried so much with that line 🙂